Umbrella-runner



(No Model.)

- J. B.-WIL SON'.

- UMBRELLA RUNNER. I N0.273,331.- I Patented Mar. 6,188 3.

WITNESSES: I a EN Q I v ATT RNE? m Pains, mkmgw n w. Wakingion. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JAMES BERNARD \VILSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

UMBRELLA-RUNNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 273,331, dated March 6, 1883. Application filed June 9, 1882, (N model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES BERNARD WI s0N, a'citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certaiu new and useful Improvementsin Umbrella- Runners; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where- Figure l is-a plan of the slide-blank. Fig.

2 is a side elevation of stick (partly broken away) with my improved runner applied. Fig. 3 is a top view of same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through stick below notch. Fig. 6 is a side elevation ot'lever; Fig. 7, a perspective of spring, and Fig. 8 a like view of catch-pin.

My invention has relation to umbrella-run ners of that class in which a locking-lever is employed.

My improvements have for their specialobject to simplify the construction, reduce the expense, and increase the efficiency of the device.

My improvements consist in the peculiar construction and combinations of parts hereinafter referred to, having reference, principally,

to the following points: first, to constructing the sleeve from a plate having lugs or projections on two of its edges, said plate being folded or bent to form a slotted tube, with the lugs thrown out to form bearings for the locking-lever; second, to the retracting-spring for the lever, which is made of a piece of wire bent into the peculiar form hereinafter set forth;

third, to the combination, with the sleeve,of'

the spring fastened to said sleeve by means of lugsor lips struck up from the latter and bent over or clamped on the ends of said spring; fourth, to the combination, with the umbrella sleeve or slide and notch, of a lever having two heads or catches on the upper side of the fulcrum of said lever and between said fulcrum and notch.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A represents a plate of metal, of the shape substantially as shown, its two sides, a a, being of less length or extent than a line parallel therewith through the middle of the plate, extendingfrom the side a to the opposite. side, a

'side of the runner.

Said plate is bent or folded to form a tube, B,

having aslot, 1), extending the complete length. Said slot is formed by bending the plate so that the edges a a do not meet, but are slightly apart and parallel. The metal adjacent to said edges is struck up or thrown out, so as to form flanges b b, which are radial, or nearly so, to the tube. These flanges form supports forthe locking-lever and its retractin g-sprin g, as hereinafter fully described.

The lever is shown at 0, having its fulcrum at c, said fulcrum consisting of a pin having bearings in the flanges b b, as shown. Said lever is formed with a thumb-piece, c, at one end and-two heads or catches, c a, respectively, both of said heads being on the same side of the fulcrum of the lever. The runner has a'notch, D, and the lever is arranged so that both its heads shall be below this notch, or on the same side of the latter.

E represents a retracting-sprin g of approximately U form, having two sides, e e, and a cross-piece, e, uniting said sides. 6 are preferably formed with return-pieces e The sides about their middles. The ends or sides ofthe spring E are secured to the slide B, the cross piece 6 passing under the lever 0, just back of or below the fulcrum, the tendency and operation of the spring being to throw the opposite end of the lever, or that carrying the heads 0 0 down orinwardly toward the stick F, in-

To fasten the spring in place, the slide is provided with lugs or'lips b N, formed by cutting U-shaped slits in the plate A, as shown at a, and striking up or pushing out the metal to produce projecting lugs, which are bent over upon the sides 0, or their return-bends e, clamping the same firmly in position, as shown. By this method offastening the expense of soldering or of riveting is avoided, while increased securityisobtained.

G G represent catch-pins in the stick-one near the handle of the latter,the other near the opposite end of the stick. These pins consistof shanks g, with triangular heads g, of approximatelyVshape.asshown. Whentheumbrellais closed the pin Gentersthe slot b and is engaged bytheheadc ofthelevei-O. Tofacilitatetheentrance of the pin to said slot the latter is flared, as shown, this shape being produced by rounding the corners of plate A, as shown at a a. When the umbrella is opened the pin G enters the slot b and engages with the head 0 of lever C. An opening, d, is madein the notch D for the passage of the pin, and to facilitate entrance to this notch the latter is made flaring. The notch-opening is of course in alignment with the slot bin the tube B, and with the lever 0, located over said slot. To prevent the lever from bearing on the stick and scratching the latter when the runner is moved up and down, said lever projects sufficiently forward to have its free end rest upon the notch D.

To operate the runner, the lever is depressed by pressure on the thumb-piece, lifting the oppositeend of saidleverofi'thenotch and raising the head, then in engagement with the catchpin,above said pin. Therunneristhen moved up or down, accordingly as it is desired to open or close the umbrella. The locking of the lever on the catch-pins is efl'ected automatically by the entrance of the pins (one at a time of course) to the slot 1) and the engagement thereof with the lever.

It will be noted that the manipulation of the runner is similar to that of a common runnerthat is to say, there is a depression by the thumb, then a sliding movement of the runner and an automatic locking.

What I claim as my invention is'- 1. An umbrella-slide having a longitudinal slot, 1), extending its entire length, the metal adjacent to the edges of the slide being bent radially outward, whereby hearings or supports are afforded for a locking-lever, said supports being integral with said slide, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with an umbrella slide and notch, of a lever having two catches or heads, said lever being fulcrumed on said slide, and havin, both its heads between its fulcrum and the notch, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with an umbrella slide and notch, of a lever having two catches or heads on the same side of its fulcrum, said lever having a support on said notch, and said heads being located between the notch andv heads or catches, 0 a, spring E, secured un der or in lips or struck-up portions of said sleeve, notch D, having flaring opening (I, and catch-pins G G, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of June, 1882.

JAMES BERNARD WILSON.

Witnesses:

ANDREW ZANE, J r., WILL H. POWELL. 

